Flexible plank.



A'. BK.

FLEXIBLE PLANK. APPLICATION FILED mm: 24. 1911.

1,004,861 Patented 0013,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. EK.

FLEXIBLE PLANK. APPLICATION 11.31) 111111: 24, 1911.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

unrr srarns rgrnn carton.

ARVID EK, or rofnTLAnn, MAINE.

FLEXIBLE PLANK;

nooasei.

To. QZLfLDhOm "it may concern:

-Be it known that I, Anvil) Eat, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Imprmements in Flexible Planks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accon'ipanying drawing.

This invention relates to planks and traction devicnsadapted to constitute a part of motrn: K-"ehiZ'l-e'equipment, and has for its:

object 'thenovision of a flexible plankfde signed to assist-a motor vehicle, moerziting under its own power, to climb out of or escape from snow, mire, sand; gullies or ditches, in which the same may have become stalted. r

sil licrdiaracteristic features of the inven ti on embrace a plank of a character capable oit'contorming to the contour of the surface tof'wh ich it: is to be appiied, sufficient 'in streiigthf'to support the'vehicie at the pointof application, affording an abundant traction surface for engagement of the tire of the vehicle wheel, and the capability of the device to be rolled or folded into compact and neat form for storage in the tool box, under the seat, or elsewhere, in the body or" the vehicle.

"intention, is capable of embodiment irtlim'any' forms, as .will appeal to those skilled in-the, art, ea'chpossessing any or all oitthe tm'egoing desirable chaiacteristics, but "for the sake timi iarting a-i ull understanding of the invention, it is necessary to illust ate herein sin'iply the preferred em hodiinent-o'l" tlieinvention, the latter being shown in theacc'on'ipanying drawings forming part hereof' v The details in the construction and arrangement of parts of the device will be apparent from the specific description hercin after containe', when read in connection yi itlisai'd: drawings.

. In tliev'drawings, Figure '1 is a plan' view OfthQfPlfUlk, Fig-'2 is a perspective view sh owingfithe same in rolled condition. for stomgeorshipment, 'Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, through the plank showing one end therooi" lowered into a depression and tucked beneath an automobile wheel, Fig. i is a transverse section, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section.

Referring morels 'iecifically to the drawings, wherein like: reference characters des Specification of Le t ters IPatent. Application filed zruneei,

Patented Oct. 3, 19111.

tart; s r al No. 635,234.

lignate corresponding parts in the several fviews, it Will be; seen from Figs. 1 and 3 ;that in general fshape, the plank is oblong lot substantial length, preferably several feet; longjeiythan 'the wheel base of the ve-, hide, and efawidth to afford ample tract-ion" sur tace, preferably approximately ft'ourteen inches, although the matter of {length and width may be varied at Will, and to suit the conditions surrounding the de-, sired use of the plank or set of planks, it, being intended that four planks, one-i013 jea'ch' wheel, shall constitute the usualequipm'ent.

, ;-Near one end of the plank,-that end which may be properly termed the inner iend, or the end to be applied immediately adjoining the wheel,the plankistapered, ;as shown at A. t The body of the plank is flexible longitu-' d-i-nally throughout, the same being coin- .posd ot several thicknesses, conveniently two, of a tough strong canvas, especially adapted for theservice to which it is to be put. The layers of canvas to which I have alluded;-are represented at B and C, preferably constituted by folding over a single sheet of canvas as at- D, and stitchedtq- .gether by a line of stitching E. The outer ends of the folds are turned in and stitched 'together'asat F, and the tapered inner portion at its sides and end inclosed Jo'y a similar stitching Gr, the open side-Qf-;the -hody laingalso closed by a line of'stitching H' At suitable distances apart throughoutfthe' length of the body, I form pockets J; betweei-i-thelayers B and G extending trans; Yersely thereot,- by stitching: tl iejlayfersto f gethor back and forth: throughout the length of the plank,"as represented at -K. 'W t-hi'n the pockets referred to, steel rods are inserted and confined in place by the marginal stitchings, said rods being of ample; strength to support the vehicle, the rods.- being preliminarily tested to a point far beyond such required strength. As shown in Fig. 4, the rods are substantially shorter in length than the length of the pockets, so that .although the rods are periniui ntly 536-; cured in place,.the ends thereof 'are' u tic'ien'tly removedtfrom the marginal stit es to-relieve such stitching of any tendemy to give way or tear, such as might exist were:

the ends of the rods brought up to and the material expanded up and down immedi- E-ately ELdJOlDIIEg the stitching. A turtlic'r're sult attained by having the rods shorter than the pockets is that the free marginal portions of the plank may bend upwardly into somewhat trough-like formation.

The top and bottom walls of the pockets and the rods, by reason of the size of the rods, project upwardly and downwardly beyond the surfaces of the intermediate portions of the canvas body, thereby constituting on the bottom of the plank ribs adapted to embed in the earth or the like, to prevent the plank from slipping, and on the top presenting similar ribs adapted to be engaged by the rubber tire to assist somewhat after the fashion of a ladder, in causing the wheel to climb up and over the traction surface, thus afforded by the plank. In this connection it is to be noted that by reason of the character of the material employed (canvas or the like) a good traction surface is also afforded.

In use, the tapered end of the plank is inserted in the rut or depression in which the vehicle is stalled, beneath the wheel so as to be engaged by the rubber tire of the latter, and the flexible nature of the plank conforming to the contour of the surface on which it rests, and the steel bars and canvas body being ample to support the weight imposed thereon, it will be appreciated that the I wheel under the motive power of the vehicle itself, may readily climb out of or pass over the objectionable place or places. Of course,

the plank may also be used as a precautionary device in placing the same overany treacherous place in a road to prevent the vehicle from being stalled in the first instance.

While ordinarily the grip of the ribbed body in the earth etc. will prevent displacement of the plank, at times, as in extremely slippery or loose mud, or in the case of sand,

it may be found desirableto secure the plank through the medium of rope.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that by a simple,inexpensive means, I provide a device of a strong durable construction, and fully capable of performing the functions attributed thereto.

I claim:

1. A plank for vehicle wheels comprising a detached flexible elongated member composed of cross rods and connections between the same ofa width greater than the tread of a wheel tire. v

2. A device of the character described comprising a detached elongated body portion flexible lengthwise thereof adapted at one end. to be bent into a depression beneath a wheel tire, substantially as described.

A device of the character described comprising a detached elongated body portion flexible len thwise thereof adapted at one end to be bent into a depresslon beneath a wheel tire, and a plurality of supporting members arranged transversely of the plank, substantially as described.

l. A device of the character described comprising a detached elongated body portion flexible lengthwise thereof adapted at one end to be bent into a depression/beneath a wheel tire, and a plurality of supporting rods arranged transversely of the plank projecting outwardly from the surface thereof.

5. A plank of the character described flexible throughout its length and provided also throughout said length with holding projections on its under face.

6. A detached plank of the character described flexible throughout its length and provided also throughout said length with traction projections on its upper surface adapted to engage a wheel tire.

7. A plank of the character described flexible lengthwise thereof and provided with holding projections on its undersurface, said pro ections being embedded in the flexible body of the plank.

8. A detached plank of the character de- 5 scribed flexible lengthwise thereof provided with traction projections on its upper surface adapted to engage a wheel tire, said projections being embedded in the flexible body of the plank.

9. A plank of the character described flexible lengthwise thereof and provided with holding projections on its under surface, said projections being embedded in the flexible body of the plank, and consisting of sepa- .rated rods disposed transversely of the body.

10. A detached plank of the character described flexible lengthwise thereof provided with traction projections on its upper surface adapted to engage a wheel tire, said projections being embedded in the flexible body of the plank, and consisting of separated rods disposed transversely of the body.

11. A plank of the character; described flexible lengthwise thereof provided with projecting ribs on its top and bottom constituted by rods arranged approximately transversely of the flexible body.

12. A plank of the character described flexible lengthwise thereof provided with projecting ribs on its top and bottom constituted by rods arranged approximately transversely of the flexible body, and embedded therein.

13. A plank of the character described comprising an elongated body flexible lengthwise thereof adapted to be inserted at one end beneath a wheel tire and means associated with said body for preventing the bending thereof laterally.

14. A plank of the character described comprising an elongated body flexible lengthwise thereof adapted to be inserted at one end beneath a wheel tire, means associated with said body for supporting a wheel, and means at the opposite ends of the body for fastening the same in place.

15. A plank of the character described comprising an elongated body formed of layers of strong flexible material and provided with a plurality of pockets, and rods inserted in said pockets strengthening the body transversely While permitting the same to flex lengthwise.

16. A plank of the character described comprising an elongated body formed of layers of strong flexible material and provided with a plurality of pockets, and rods inserted in said pockets strengthening the body transversely while permitting the same to flex lengthwise, the rods being of substantially less length than the pockets, substa n tially as described.

'17. A plank ot' the character described comprising an elongated body formed of layers of strong flexible material and provided with a plurality of pockets, and rods inserted in said pockets strengthening the body transversely while pernnt-ting'the same to tiex lengthwise, the inner end of the plank to ttexlengthwise, the rods being of substantially less length than the pockets, the inner end of the plank being narrowed in width relative to the remaining portion of the body and the rods at said end being correspondingly shortened, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. A RVID Eli. \Vitnesses:

Knxxn'rn If 'ltnrroHELL, It. I BnowN, Jr. 

